


Best Birthday Gift Ever!

by JesusOtakuFreak



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-30
Updated: 2015-06-30
Packaged: 2018-04-06 23:32:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4240860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JesusOtakuFreak/pseuds/JesusOtakuFreak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ava's uncle gives her a 4D printer as a late birthday gift, and Ava uses it to create a life-sized figure of Tsunayoshi Sawada as a birthday gift for her best friend, but then crap hits the fan, and the life-sized figure becomes lifelike…. OOC warning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Holy crap, it actually works!

**AN: Bear in mind I have absolutely no idea how 4D printers work in real life or if they even exist so… yeah.**

**Summary:** **Ava's uncle gives her a 4D printer as a late birthday gift, and Ava uses it to create a life-sized figure of Tsunayoshi Sawada as a birthday gift for her best friend, but then crap hits the fan, and the life-sized figure becomes lifelike…. OOC warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

**Chapter One: Holy crap, it actually works!**

"Yosh, I've decided! I'm going to marry Tsuna Sawada!" My best friend, Danica, declared to me.

It was a warm Thursday afternoon, the third week of summer vacation, and my best friend and I were lounging in my room, with me sitting at my desk, sketching in my sketchbook while Danica laid in my bed on her phone. I glanced over at her to see her studying her phone with a dreamy expression.

"Tsuna Sawada? Is he someone I know?" I asked.

"That depends. Have you seen Katekyo Hitman Reborn?"

"So, he's a fictional character?" I asked, unimpressed.

"Unfortunately," Danica answered, sighing, depressed. "Why can't fictional guys be real?"

"Or rather, why can't you stop crushing on fictional guys? It's because of your unhealthy obsession with the fictional that you don't have a boyfriend."

"I don't want a boyfriend! I want Tsuna!" Danica wailed.

"Honestly, Danica…."

"Ooh, ooh, for my birthday present, can you draw for me Tsuna in Hyper Dying Will Mode?" Danica asked, staring at me pleadingly.

"Why?"

"Because he looks super hot in hyper dying will mode," Danica replied as if I should have known that even though I never watched the show. "If you watched the show, you'd know that~" Danica singsong.

"No, smart one, I meant why do you want a drawing for a birthday present?"

"Well, you always say no whenever I ask you to draw for me," Danica replied, pouting.

"I have my reasons," I said. "But if it's a drawing you want, I can do that."

"Yay! You're the best, Ava-chan!" Danica stated, hopping off the bed and hugging me.

"Someone's watching too much anime," I said, shaking my head but smiling in spite of myself. "So? Do you want him in a particular pose or something?"

"Hmm… oh, I know! Have him stand like this with his left hand gripping his right hand. As for his expression and clothes…."

As Danica added more details, I turned to an empty page in my notebook and started jotting down the information.

"Thanks! I'm counting on you!" Danica said, giggling.

"Hai, hai," I said, sighing.

Danica giggled. "Now, who's watching too much anime?"

"Speaking of anime, have you finished your cosplay outfit for tomorrow's convention?"

"Yuppers! I am totally going to win that $100,000!" Danica declared, punching the sky with her fist.

The anime convention, Anime Nation, was hosting a cosplay contest where the first place winner will receive $100,000.

"So, you really think you made an outfit that would win you a hundred grand?"

"Heck yeah, girl! You'll see it and be all like, 'Whoa! That outfit is so $100,000 worthy!'" I snorted at my friend's response, shaking my head. "Who are you cosplaying as?"

"A generic school girl," I replied.

"Seriously?"

"Yup. Trust me, it's cute," I said.

"Yeah, but cute isn't going to win you $100,000 now is it? A generic school girl? Seriously?" Danica said, crossing her arms, her mouth pulled down in a disappointed frown.

"Isn't this good for you? You now have one less person to worry about," I pointed out.

"Oh, yeah. Duh," Danica said, lightly knocking her head. Danica's phone buzzed with a text, and she checked it, sighing heavily and hopping out of my bed. "Mom just texted. I gotta jet. Don't forget about my drawing, 'kay?"

"Of course. See ya."

I waved at Danica as she left my room, my eyes falling upon the hurried notes concerning Danica's drawing. I glanced at my bedside clock to see it was four o'clock and figured I could start on Danica's drawing now since I had nothing else to do.

_Ah, wait, I have no idea what this guy look like,_ I remembered, opening my laptop and starting it up. I never watched the Katekyo Hitman Reborn series, though Danica has been pushing me to do so. I just wasn't a shonen fan. I was more of a shojo chick. When I typed Tsunayoshi Sawada Hyper Dying Will Mode in Google and his picture popped up, I couldn't help but think he looked pretty cute. _Okay, so Danica said he wanted him to stand a certain way…._ As I went to work on the sketch, I thought of how there was no way this drawing was going to be my only gift to Danica. At the convention, I'll be sure to get her a real gift.

"Ava," Mom called, softly knocking on my door.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"You have a package from Uncle Troy," Mom said, opening the door and carrying a moderate-sized brown box. "I believe it's your birthday gift."

"Oh, is it now," I replied dully.

"Come on, don't be like that," Mom lightly scolded.

I shrugged. "Sorry. It's just… I don't really care to have another one of his broken inventions."

"It's the thought that counts, Ava, you know that."

_Yeah, yeah,_ I thought, stifling an exasperated sigh.

"Troy apologizes for giving you a late birthday present, but he figured better late than never. Be sure to thank him, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, waving languidly.

"Dinner will be ready in an hour, okay?" Mom told me, setting the box on my bed before leaving out.

Uncle Troy worked as a mechanic though he also enjoyed inventing things in his spare time. His inventions were completely useless, but he enjoyed creating them all the same. Every birthday, Uncle Troy would invent something for me and every time those inventions were utter failures.

_I wonder what Uncle Troy invented for me this time,_ I thought, walking over to my drawer in search of scissors. Once I found the scissors, I cut open the package, revealing a small black printer. A _printer_?! I thought, bewildered, staring blankly at the nondescript device. A small white envelope sat on top the printer, and I plucked it up, opening the card and reading its contents.

' _Hey, Ava! Happy belated birthday! Sorry this present is two weeks late, but it still needed some fixing. Well, I fixed it, and it should work now! So, now I'm sure you're curious as to what it is I made for you this time. What you have before you is a printer, but it's no ordinary printer (naturally). It is a 4D printer! I know, crazy, right?! Now you can bring those anime characters you love drawing so much to life! Lol, I'm kidding, it doesn't work like that. Anyways, I've provided an instruction manual, so just check that and let me know the results! That's it! Hope you'll enjoy your present! Love, Uncle Troy :D'_

_Wow, a 4D printer? That's certainly new,_ I thought, gazing at the device with newfound interest, but then I remembered Uncle Troy's track record with his inventions and sighed, shaking my head.

Well, it never hurts to try, right? I found the instruction manual in the box and was relieved it was only three pages. After reading through it, I was pleased to find it wouldn't be hard to operate the printer and decided to give it a try.

_Now, what should I print?_ I wondered, gazing around my room.

Then, I remembered Uncle Troy's words: Now you can bring those anime characters you love drawing so much to life! Sure, why not? My room lacked anime memorabilia, but if Uncle Troy's printer worked as it should, that problem could easily be corrected. I plucked my sketchbook off the desk and flipped through its pages until I settled on one drawing of Sailor Moon. I set the printer on the ground and lifted the cover, revealing the scanner and placed the sketchbook with the Sailor Moon drawing facedown on the glass before closing the lid.

I plugged in the printer's cord into the outlet and pressed the power button. The button glowed an electric green, a low whirring hum emitting from the printer as it started up. The manual said to set the size of the object, I had to input the desired numbers using the keypad so I typed in eight inches and pressed start, watching in quiet anticipation as a bright green light slid down the glass, scanning the drawing. After a few more seconds, the whirring hum faded into silence, and I inhaled sharply when a small object clattered in the square tray.

"Holy…!" I whispered, taking the object and studying it with wide, astonished eyes. It was an exact replica of my Sailor Moon drawing! "It works…?"

I couldn't believe it. I had to test it again. I flipped to another drawing, choosing a topless Gray Fullbuster from Fairy Tail and placing it facedown on the glass and pushing the start button. The printer started up again, the whirring hum increasing in volume as the printer worked. Few more seconds passed before the whirring died down and a small topless Gray Fullbuster popped into the small square tray, an exact replica of my drawing.

"Oh my…! Holy crap! It works! It actually works!" I cried, jumping up and down while holding my newly acquired figures. I studied the figures, admiring them. The figures actually looked legit! Like they were store bought! _  
_

"Ava, dinner is ready!" Mom called.

"Okay, I'm coming!" I called back, placing the figures on the dresser.

What if I could print food?! Could I actually end world hunger? Forget world hunger, what about ending my constant state of being broke? I could print money! Wait, isn't that illegal…? Okay, forget money, I could just print out whatever it is I wish to print, like that jacket I couldn't afford the other day. This was absolutely perfect! This printer will literally change my life! I can just imagine the possibilities!

"Ava!"

"Yes, yes, I'm coming!" I said, rushing out of my room and entering the dining room where Mom was setting the dinner table. "We're not waiting for Dad?"

"No, he'll be working late tonight," Mom answered. The sky flashed blue followed by a sharp crack resembling a gunshot. "Oh, dear, it seems it's started," Mom muttered.

"Started?" I questioned, confused, taking my seat.

"There was a severe thunderstorm alert this morning. They said it would start in the evening around five," Mom answered. "It's 5:45 so it's started. Geez, I was hoping it would pass us."

"It'll be fine. It's only a thunderstorm. It's not like it's a tornado, flood or hurricane."

"Yes, that's true, but—" Mom gasped when another crack of thunder interrupted her.

I stifled a giggle at my mother's reaction. We started eating, and I wanted to hurry and finish so I could return to my room and print out more objects.

"So, what did Uncle Troy make for you this time?" Mom asked.

"Huh? Oh, uh, he made me a printer…."

"A printer?" Mom asked dubiously.

"Yup."

"So, it… prints what exactly?" Mom pressed.

"Mmm… it's supposed to be a 4D printer."

"A 4D printer?! My, that's impressive. Well, have you tried it?"

"I have, and it doesn't work," I lied. For now, I wished to keep the printer's success a secret.

"Naturally," Mom replied, sighing. "Honestly, the man has created a million things, you would think, out of the million, one would work."

"Yeah…." I finished my meal, thanking Mom and clearing my dish, setting it in the sink. "I'll be in my room, working on Danica's present."

"Oh, that's right, her birthday is Monday. What are you giving her?"

"She asked me to draw one of her favorite characters."

"Is that all? Well, you sure lucked out. You get to save on money."

"Mom," I said, shaking my head. "I'm not just going to give her a drawing. We're going to an anime convention tomorrow, so I'll buy her a gift then."

"Oh, yeah, that sounds nice. Well, then, good luck with the drawing," Mom said.

"Thanks, Mom." I said, leaving out the room.

* * *

"Done!" I sighed happily, having just finished coloring my drawing of Tsuna.

It looked pretty dang awesome if I did say so myself. My eyes trailed over to the printer, an awesome idea forming in my head. I could change Danica's drawing into a life-sized figure instead! I jumped up from my seat, a wide grin spreading across my face as I knelt beside the printer. Quickly, I checked the internet for Tsuna's height and entered the numbers on the keypad. Next, I set the drawing on the scanner and pressed the start button, grinning as I imagined Danica's expression. Yup, I was an awesome friend.

Whir! Whir! Whir! The printer started up, a beam of electric green light shooting from the center, the beam taking the shape of my drawing. I watched in awe as Tsuna's legs slowly received color and flopped back onto my bed, a huge grin on my face. Friend of the year, everyone! Yup, that'd be me. I glanced at my bedside clock, the time flashing eight in the evening.

Outside, rain poured heavily, the water splattering violently against the window due to the howling winds while lightning appeared every ten seconds followed by thunder. I cringed as the house creaked and groaned in protest to the ailing elements and frequently checked my phone for any tornado alerts, but there were none to my relief. I glanced back at the nearly complete figure, and, I must say, it looked officially amazing. Only the head remained unfinished. The lights dimmed, and the green beam flickered before the lights returned to normal.

_Oh, no,_ I thought, worriedly.

According to Uncle Troy's instruction manual, if printing was disrupted, it could cause some unforeseen issues. It wasn't specific as to what those issues were, but the point was don't mess with the printer while it printed. The lights dimmed again, thunder growling ferociously and striking fear in my heart not only from the noise but also because the green light flickered.

_Why, oh why did I do this during a severe thunderstorm?!_ I wondered, face-palming. The figure was almost complete. Only the topmost part of Tsuna's hair was undone. _Come on, please, God, please keep the lights on for just a little long—_

Darkness bathed the room as the lights finally cut off, including the green beam. Lightning illuminated the room and sparks flew from the plugged outlet of the printer, the sparks glowing brilliantly in the darkness. I screamed, unsure of what else to do as the sparks continued spewing from the outlet, increasing in intensity. Green light discharged from the center of the printer, enveloping the entire room in its electric viridian glow. The light blinded me, so I dove under the covers, screaming for help though it didn't help that the thunder swallowed my fearful cries, but I just cried all the louder. This must be what Uncle Troy meant by 'unforeseen issues.'


	2. No, you cannot date my cousin

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

**Notes: Uso- no way**

* * *

**Chapter Two: No, you cannot date my cousin**

"I'm gonna die!" I whispered, shuddering beneath the covers. "I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die!" And the stupid thunderstorm did not help at all! Where was Mom?! Couldn't she hear my screams? At that moment, I felt someone touch my head and gasped happily, throwing the covers off and lunging towards Mom, wrapping my arms around her. "Mom! Thank God! Help me, please!" I wailed, burying my face in Mom's chest when I noticed something strange.

First, I noticed the lack of Mom's breasts. Second, Mom was around my height, if just a smidge taller, which was curious because she was supposed to be several inches taller than me. These two things told me the person I was hugging was, in fact, not my mother but someone else entirely. Lightning illuminated the room, revealing Tsunayoshi Sawada staring down at me curiously. Naturally, I screamed.

_"Gyaaaaah!"_ I lurched backward, flopping onto my bed while staring wide-eyed at the guy.

"I-I'm s-sorry, but—"

_"It talks!"_ I screeched, dismayed. _"Usoooooo!"_

I scrambled out of bed, my feet ensnaring in the sheets, and I tumbled forward, slamming face first on the hardwood ground and subsequently blacking out.

* * *

"Ouch, ouch, ouch…." I groaned quietly, my head throbbing horribly. _What happened?_

Just as I thought that, my memories flowed through my mind like a rushing current, and I gasped sharply, my eyes popping open only to be blinded by my ceiling fan light. I squinted against the light. The lights were back on?

"Are you awake?" A voice asked softly, and I stiffened when Tsuna appeared in view

"So this is happening…. This is totally happening," I muttered, still in disbelief. I sat up, noticing I was in bed and cringed at the throbbing headache. "Ouch…." I groaned, clutching my forehead.

"Are you alright? You hit your head pretty hard when you fell," Tsuna said.

"I'll be fine. I just need Advil," I muttered. "But more importantly, you're alive!"

"Uh, yeah, I am. Am I not supposed to be?"

"No, you're not!" I answered immediately, startling the boy. "Sorry, but it's true. You're just a made-up character!"

"Made-up…?"

"Yeah, you're not a real person. See?" I got out of bed and approached the printer, wincing at the blackened outlet. Well, that didn't look good. I opened the printer's lid and snatched the paper, showing Tsuna the drawing of himself. "You're a character in this show Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I drew this and was trying to turn this into a life-sized figure, but you really did come to life…." How on earth was I going to explain this to my parents?

Tsuna studied the picture, his expression curious. "You're an amazing artist," he said, smiling.

"Thank you," I returned, smiling. "Hey, wait, this isn't the time for admiration! I've got to figure out how to fix this. Maybe Uncle Troy might know…?"

"Ava!" Dad called, startling both of us.

"Crap, it's my Dad! Quick, into the closet!" I commanded, pushing Tsuna toward the open closet. Before Tsuna could protest, I shut the door in his face at the same time Dad opened my door. "Dad, knock first, would you?" I scolded.

"Didn't you hear me call your name?" Dad replied in defense. "Anyway, I was just checking up on you. It was horrible driving home in the rain. I saw like five lightning bolts."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I even saw one strike our house!"

"Wait, struck our house…?"

"Yeah, it was this long, jagged bolt that just struck the roof. It was around the exact same moment the lights went out," Dad said.

_And the exact same moment the printer went haywire. Perhaps it was the lightning which altered the printer's function somehow?_ I pondered.

"Well, the thunderstorm had finally died down, thank God. Oh, is that the gift Uncle Troy sent you?" Dad asked, pointing at the printer.

"Uh, yeah—"

"Oh, my—what happened to the outlet?! It's black!" Dad observed, horrified.

"Yeah, I was trying to get the printer to work, but then sparks started flying and…." I gestured toward the outlet to show the result.

"And you're okay? You're not hurt?" Dad asked, concerned.

"No, I'm fine."

"I'm glad to hear that. I'll call Troy and tell him his invention was another failure," Dad said.

"No, please don't do that! Let me do it, instead," I offered.

"Okay, that's fine. I'm heading in for the night. Good night," Dad said, waving before leaving and closing the door.

I opened the closet door and Tsuna, who had been leaning on the door, tumbled backward, crashing into me and sending the both of us to the ground. "Ouch! Why the heck were you leaning on the door?!" I snapped.

"S-Sorry!" Tsuna apologized, rolling off me.

What am I going to do with him? There was no way I could hide him at my house. Maybe Uncle Troy will know what to do? He did invent the printer, after all. Oh, but when would I be able to visit him? The convention lasted for three days, and there was absolutely no way I was missing any of it especially since I spent fifty bucks on my pass.

How could this have happened anyway? The other drawings I've printed didn't come to life, so why did this one?! Was it because I made it life-sized? No, that still shouldn't be the case because Uncle Troy said it himself; the printer didn't work that way, so why…?

"Um…." Tsuna spoke, snapping me out of my frantic thoughts. He was holding out a hand to me, his ember eyes studying me in concern. Speaking of ember… the guy's freaking hair was on fire, but he didn't seem the least bit bothered. "Are you alright?" he asked, holding out a hand to me.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay," I said, accepting his hand and rising to my feet.

"So, earlier you were saying I'm a made-up character," Tsuna started.

"Yes. Here, let me show you." I directed him to my laptop on my desk, typing in the show's title in Google and clicking Images. "See? This is you." I pointed at one picture of him in Hyper Dying Will Mode standing in the middle of a group of other cool-looking characters. "You're the main character of this show. I don't know much of it because I never watched it, but my best friend does and she loves you." I probably shouldn't have said that, but Tsuna was so engrossed with the computer screen, even using the mouse to click through the images, I doubt he heard me.

"Who's this girl?" Tsuna asked, pointing at a slim young girl with bright expressive honey brown eyes and matching brown hair. The image seemed like it was taken from one of the episodes with him carrying the girl while in Hyper Dying Will Mode.

"Hmm… I believe Danica said her name was… Kiko? I don't know, I don't watch the series," I said, shaking my head. _But I do know Danica isn't fond of the chick because of some dumb reason, but I can't remember exactly._ Judging from the image, I could guess the girl was close to Tsuna. _Honestly, jealous of a fictional character…._ I thought, sighing inwardly.I glanced over at Tsuna to see his face painted a rosy pink, which confirmed my guess of the girl being close to the boy. _Interesting. Even though he's my drawing brought to life—and therefore not the actual Tsuna—he still has feelings towards his love interest._ Wait, did that mean he could use his powers?! I narrowed my eyes at the embers burning brightly atop the brunette's head. Before I could test the theory, an alarm from my laptop went off.

_Ting! Ting!_ A notification appeared at the top corner of the screen, telling me Danica wanted to talk to me via webcam. I gasped, grabbing Tsuna's shoulders and dragging him away from the desk.

"Okay, stay over here," I ordered.

"What's that?" Tsuna asked, staring at the computer.

"It's just my friend. Now hush and stay here."

I sat at the desk, clearing my throat and running my hand through my long black hair as I accepted Danica's video request. An image of Danica's room popped up on the screen, but there was no sign of Danica.

"Danica?" I called.

"Hey, Ava!" Danica greeted cheerily, dashing into view while wearing an Asuna costume.

I gasped sharply, staring in wide-eyed admiration as Danica twirled so I could see the entire outfit. She flipped back her long flowy chestnut hair while unsheathing her sword, pointing it at the camera, a smug grin on her face.

"Danica! You look _amazing_!" I squealed, clapping.

"I know right!" Danica agreed, hopping up and down in excitement.

"I see all those endless hours of watching DIY videos weren't wasted."

"Heck yeah, girl! I wanted to wait and surprise you tomorrow but I got impatient and just had to…." Danica stopped, her eyes widening in astonishment and mouth dropping open.

"Danica, what's—" It was then I noticed Tsuna's presence beside me, and launched out of my seat, shoving the boy out of view. "What did I tell you?!" I hissed lowly, glaring hotly at the boy.

"S-Sorry! It's just, you seemed so excited, I wanted to see—"

"Ava?" Danica called, and I whipped my head to the computer before looking back at Tsuna and scowled. Tsuna winced at my fierce expression, taking several steps back. "Ava?" Danica singsong.

"Yeah, sorry, I'm here," I said, sitting back in the chair.

"So, who was that? He looked a lot like Tsuna…."

"Um, that's because he _is_ Tsuna."

"Huh?"

"It's my cousin. He heard I was going to the convention and wished to tagalong. So he came over to show me his costume," I explained, waving Tsuna over.

"Your cousin…?" Danica softly gasped when Tsuna appeared in view, and he shyly waved.

"H-Hello," Tsuna greeted. Danica simply stared, not saying anything, and I quirked an eyebrow, studying my friend's blank stare. "Is she okay?" Tsuna asked.

"Good question. Hey, Danica are you—?" The screen suddenly cut off with a notification appearing in the top right corner of the screen telling me Danica clicked off. "Um… okay…?" That was weird. Don't tell me Danica actually saw through my lie? "Hey, you, what's up with showing your face when I told you to stay out of sight?" I growled, standing to my feet and crossing my arms, fixing a burning glare rivaling Tsuna's fire.

"I-I'm s-sorry! You were so excited, I-I wanted to see, t-too," Tsuna stuttered, closing his eyes and bowing his head while clapping and rubbing his hands together in apology.

Seeing Tsuna's remorseful display, my anger subsided and expression softened as I sighed, uncrossing my arms.

"Well, it's fine now. I meant it when I said you'll be coming with me to the anime convention my friend and I are going to tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yeah, because having you stay at my house is too risky. Luckily, the convention lasts for three days so hopefully, I'll be able to figure out what to do with you during that time—" My cell phone went off on my desk, and I glanced at the screen to see Danica's picture and picked it up, answering the call. "Hey, Danica, why—"

"You _cannot_ let your cousin come with us to the convention!" Danica screamed, nearly blowing out my eardrum.

"Huh? Why not?" I asked, bewildered.

"Because he'll win the contest for sure!" Danica whined. "I mean, holy crap, that guy looks like a spitting image of Tsuna! I think I may actually be in love with your cousin." I could just perfectly imagine Danica's blushing face and sheepish smile as she twirled the long strands of her Asuna wig.

"Danica—"

"I know, I know, I can't possibly fall in love with a stranger, but seriously, he'll totally win the contest! I mean, even the flame on his head looked unbelievably real! Ava, you _have_ to send a picture of him to me."

"Danica!" I sighed, exasperated.

"What? Is that creepy?"

_Perhaps if it was my actual cousin,_ I thought. "How would you like it if he asked you to send a picture of you in your Asuna costume?"

"Does he want that? Cause I can totally do that," Danica replied hurriedly.

"No, he didn't ask—I was trying to make a point!"

"So, can you get me a picture or not?!" Danica demanded impatiently.

"Okay, fine! Hold on." I accessed the camera on my phone and turned to Tsuna who watched me curiously. "Hmm…. Okay, Tsuna, I want you to stand like this," I instructed, scooping up my drawing of Tsuna off the ground and holding it up. "I'll take a picture of you striking the pose."

Tsuna nodded, assuming the pose where he stood with his feet apart and raised his right hand near his face while gripping the wrist with his left hand. His expression was calm and cool while his flame burned hotly atop his head. The image was surreal; another shocking reminder of my drawing coming to life. I captured several photos from different angles and distances.

"Okay, last one. Smile for me," I said, training the camera on Tsuna's face.

"Smile?" Tsuna repeated, gazing at me in confusion.

"Mm-hm. Now, come on, smile," I said, smiling myself. Tsuna obeyed, his ember eyes softening as he focused on the camera. My heart skipped a beat as I took the picture. I already thought this before, but the boy was pretty dang hot. I could definitely see why Danica was obsessed with him. "Thank you and send." I sent the last photo to Danica, putting the phone back to my ear. "Did you get the—"

_"Oh, my gosh! He's soooo hot!"_ Danica squealed, and I removed the phone from my ears, wincing. I could tell Tsuna heard my friend because his face flushed a rosy pink, appearing embarrassed. I silently mouthed, 'Sorry' and replaced the phone to my ear. "Okay, I changed my mind. He definitely needs to come with us to the convention."

"Why the change of heart? Don't you want the hundred grand?"

"Of course, but I want a boyfriend even more!" Danica replied breezily.

"Whoa, Danica, I don't think—"

"What's his name? What's his favorite color? Does he have a type? Do you think _I'm_ his type?" Danica fired off the questions in one breath. "Does he live far from here? If he does, does he believe in long-distance relation—"

"Danica, enough," I sighed.

"Could I talk to him?"

"Sure. Tomorrow when you see him."

"Can't I talk to him now?"

I walked toward the window, increasing the distance between me and Tsuna so he wouldn't hear my response.

"Danica, you literally saw the guy for like five seconds. How can you be so smitten over him?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know. There's just something about him…."

"You forget he's in costume. If you saw what he really looked like…."

"I wouldn't care," Danica answered immediately.

"Oh, the heck you wouldn't," I snapped.

"I wouldn't!"

"Trust me when I say it would not work out between you two. Besides… he already has feelings for someone else," I said, remembering Tsuna's smitten expression from earlier when gazing at Kiko's picture.

"Aw, seriously?" Danica whined.

"Yeah, seriously," I affirmed, nodding. Danica was silent for a long moment, causing me to think we lost connection when she snickered. "Whu—why are you laughing?"

"This is awesome! I finally have a love rival!"

_"Hah?!"_ I asked, dismayed.

"I've always wanted a love rival! Yosh, I'll use this weekend to win him over! By the time Sunday comes around, he'll have forgotten all about his crush." I could picture Danica grinning widely, her eyes wide in manic happiness and determination.

"You're really not gonna give up… are you?"

"Look who's catching on. Well, then, I'm going to bed since I gotta get up early. Good night! Oh, and tell your cousin sweet dreams for me," Danica requested, giggling before hanging up. I groaned loudly, tipping my head back.

"Is everything alright?" Tsuna asked, staring at me in concern.

"Ugh, not really, but it's fine. It'll work out, I'm sure."

So I said, but since I wasn't a psychic, I couldn't see the troubles that laid ahead for me in the very near future.


	3. Nosy people are nosy

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Nosy people are nosy**

"Good morning, sweetie," Mom greeted cheerily when I entered the kitchen. "Oh, my, is that the outfit you're wearing to that convention?" Mom asked, referring to my sailor uniform costume.

It consisted of a short sleeved white blouse with navy blue collar and cuffs and double white stripes encircling the collar and cuffs along with a short pleated navy blue skirt, black knee-high socks and white four inch Mary Jane heels. I lightly tugged at the red ribbon hanging loosely around the collar down the white shirt as I sat at the island.

"Good morning," I returned. "Did Dad leave for work already?"

"Yes, he did." Mom set a plate of scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and toast in front me. "My, that storm was horrible last night, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was. Um, Mom, did you happen to hear anything unusual last night?" I inquired, wanting to know how the woman did not hear my screams. I supposed the thunder could have masked my cries, but surely she should have heard something in between the noise?

"Unusual? No, not really. After dinner, I took some sleeping pills and went straight to bed. There was no way I could have slept through the storm on my one," Mom replied.

_Oh, well that explains that then,_ I thought, scooping some eggs in my mouth.

"Well, I'm on my way to work. Have fun but be safe," Mom said, kissing my forehead and leaving out the kitchen.

"I will. Bye Mom!" I called back.

I quickly finished my breakfast, washing the dishes and hurrying up to my room where Tsuna stood by the window, peering out through the glass. He turned to me when I entered the room, a small smile on his face.

"You finished eating?"

"Yup. Are you sure you're not hungry?" Tsuna nodded and I shrugged. "Well, okay then. Danica should be here—"

My cell phone buzzed on the desk, and I looked to see a text from Danica saying she was outside.

"Okay, that's her. Let's go." I reached for my luggage but Tsuna grabbed the handle.

"I'll carry it for you," he said, smiling.

"Aw, thank you," I said, smiling in gratitude. When we reached the front door, I stopped, turning to Tsuna, who stared at me inquiringly. "You should know, my best friend, she's… uh… well, she's a huge fan of your character and…." I scratched the back of my head, unsure of how to continue. "Just don't be alarmed if she's overly attached to you."

"O… okay," Tsuna said, nodding.

"Oh, and also you're my cousin, Tyler Hills."

"R-Right."

"Right. Well, let's go!"

I opened the door to see Danica's red 2014 Toyota Camry parked in the driveway. Danica waved at me from the driver's seat and I waved back. Tsuna and I approached the car with Danica popping the trunk, and I directed Tsuna to load the luggage into the trunk. I opened the passenger door and slid into the air-conditioned car, sighing in satisfaction.

"Hey, Danica," I greeted.

"Hey, Ava, um…." Danica bit her lip, glancing towards the back where Tsuna closed the trunk. She leaned over to me, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Hey, would you mind sitting in the back?"

"Huh? Why?!" I demanded, offended.

"Good morning!" Tsuna greeted, sliding into the backseat.

Oh, of course. Why did I even ask? Danica mouthed, 'Pleeeeease,' her face imploring.

"Whatever," I muttered under my breath while climbing out of the car. "Come on, Tsuna. You'll be sitting in the front."

"Oh, okay." We switched seats, and Danica clapped, her eyes bright and excited.

"Alright, then! Onto Anime Nation!" Danica declared, reversing out of the driveway and setting off. "So, what's your name? Mine is Danica Rose," Danica introduced herself to Tsuna.

"I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi," Tsuna replied automatically.

_No! You idiot, don't tell her your real name!_ I thought, wanting to tear my hair out. Danica frowned, glancing at Tsuna with a bewildered expression. I started laughing, catching both of their attention and leaning forward, patting Tsuna's head. Hard. "This joker! He's just so into his cosplay."

"Ouch, ouch, Ava-chan, that hurts!" Tsuna complained.

"His names Tyler Hills," I said, glaring at Tsuna.

"Ah, right. S-Sorry," he apologized, his cheeks growing pink.

"Tyler, is it? So, you really love anime, huh?"

"Actually, he recently just got into anime, which was why he wanted to tagalong," I answered.

"Why are you answering for him?" Danica asked, shooting me a pointed stare through the rearview mirror.

"He's shy around new people."

"Oh, that's so cute!" Danica gushed. "So, Tyler, I wanted to tell you this ever since I saw you yesterday, but…." Danica giggled. "I thought so before but… you really do make an awesome Tsuna! Like, seriously! You could be his freaking twin! And I've wanted to ask when I saw the photos, but the fire on your head… how did you do that because it looks so _real_!"

"He won't tell you. It's a family secret," I cut in when Tsuna opened his mouth.

"Family? Then, you know the secret, too?" Danica asked me.

"No, I don't. I meant within his family," I clarified.

"Okay, then…. So, I take it you're entering the cosplay contest?" Danica asked Tsuna.

"Cosplay contest?" Tsuna repeated, blinking in confusion.

"Yeah, there's a contest where the first place winner will receive a hundred grand!" Danica told him. "You should enter. You'll win for sure!"

_Hey, he will… won't he?_ A slow grin spread across my face as an incredible idea formed in my head. Why the heck didn't I think of it sooner? If Tsuna entered the cosplay contest, he'll win without a doubt, and I'll indirectly win the $100,000! "Heck yeah, Tsu—Tyler is entering! It'll be such a waste if he didn't," I said, nodding.

"I agree! So, Tyler, what are you going to do with the money when you win?" Danica asked.

"Isn't it too soon to say? I mean, there will probably be people in more impressive costumes. Like yours, Rose-san. I saw it yesterday. It looked amazing," Tsuna complimented, smiling.

"Y-You think so? Thanks! I worked hard on it," Danica said, pink hue coloring her cheeks.

"Eh? You made the costume yourself?! That's amazing!" Tsuna said, impressed and staring at Danica with newfound respect.

Danica squealed, releasing the wheel and covering her face, appearing embarrassed. "It's nothing! It's nothing!" The car started deviating in the other lane.

"Danica!" I screamed, startling the girl.

"Oh, sorry!" she hastily apologized, replacing her hands on the wheel and correcting the car's course. She grinned sheepishly, shrugging. "That was a close one."

"Yeah, it was! Could you not do that again, please?" I said.

"Okay, okay. Sheesh, calm down," she muttered.

_Well, excuse me for freaking out after nearly having an accident,_ I thought, scowling.

"Hey, Ava, if you and Tsuna are cousins, how come he's Japanese and you're not? Last I checked, none of your relatives were Japanese," Danica asked me.

"Uh, that is a very good question. Um, you see… my uncle had an affair with a Japanese woman," I spoke bluntly.

_"Eh?!"_ Tsuna and Danica cried, both of them looking back at me.

"Danica, the road!" I snapped.

"Oh, sorry!" Danica whipped her head forward, her face scrunching in confusion. "Wait, Tyler, why are _you_ surprised?"

"He never knew his mother," I answered immediately.

"That's so sad! Wait, why am I just hearing about this now?" Danica asked, glaring at me in the rearview mirror.

"My parents didn't want me saying anything, so I didn't," I responded simply.

"Huh…." Danica said. "So, Tyler—"

"Hey, how about we play some music?" I interrupted in an attempt to cease Danica's endless questions.

"If we play music, how will we talk?" Danica asked.

"That's the point," I muttered quietly.

"Rose-san, do you have a boyfriend?" Tsuna asked.

"Eh? A boyfriend?" Danica repeated, her voice high-pitched.

_What the—?! What the heck is Tsuna doing asking that question?_ I wondered, alarmed.

"Nope. No boyfriend. None whatsoever," Danica answered hurriedly. "Why do you ask?"

Tsuna picked up a small photo from under the seat, holding it up for Danica to see. It was a worn photo of Danica grinning widely while hugging an older fellow, who seemed a couple years older than Danica.

"Oh, that's just my brother," Danica replied, waving dismissively.

"You two seem close," Tsuna said.

"Yeah, I guess. He's studying abroad right now," Danica said. "Do you have any siblings?"

"No."

"Is that so? How does it feel to be an only child?"

"It sounds lonely," Tsuna answered, gazing upward.

"'Sounds'?" Danica repeated, confused.

"Uh, hey, Danica what are we doing for your birthday?" I intervened.

"Ooh, I'm glad you asked. I was thinking first we'll go shopping, then watch that movie I've been wanting to see, then dance the night away with DDR."

"Sounds like a plan," I said, approving. _And if Tsuna wins the contest, I'll be able to afford to give Danica the time of her life,_ I thought, smiling.

"Oh, and Tyler, of course you're totally invited to hang out with us," Danica said, smiling.

"Really? Thank you," Tsuna said, smiling gratuitously[?].

_Yeah, not if I'm able to figure out how to return him to normal before then,_ I thought.

* * *

"Finally, we're here!" I stated happily upon entering the room of our hotel.

It was a nice moderate-sized room housing two queen-sized beds and one bathroom.

"Tyler, you can share a bed with me!" Danica shouted, hugging Tsuna's arm.

"Danica!" I snapped, dismayed.

"What? There are only two beds, and I'm sure you wouldn't want your cousin to sleep with you so—"

"I-I don't mind sleeping on the floor," Tsuna said, his face red.

"Don't be silly, of course you're not sleeping on the floor," Danica denied, shaking her head.

"Yeah, Danica and I will share a bed and you'll sleep alone," I said.

"I don't like that too much," Danica said, frowning.

"Too bad. Now, hurry and change into your costume so we can leave," I told Danica.

"Hai, hai!" Danica shot one last flirtatious smile at Tsuna before grabbing her things and entering the bathroom, closing it behind her.

"I'm so sorry for her," I sighed, flopping on the bed.

"Mm-mm, it's fine," Tsuna said, shaking his head. "She's interesting."

"Yeah, she is," I muttered. I pulled my cell phone out of my purse, dialing Uncle Troy's number.

"Who are you calling?"

"My uncle. Stay here, I'll be back," I said, leaving the room before Tsuna could respond.

"Hey, Ava, my favorite niece! How are ya?" Uncle Troy's cheery voice filtered through the speakers.

"Not so good," I replied truthfully.

"Oh, no, my printer didn't work?! Damn it, I thought for sure it would work! I don't understand, I tested it and everything…."

"No, Uncle Troy, the printer was a success," I told him.

"Wait, _seriously_?! Huzzah! The millionth time is the charm, baby!" Uncle Troy whooped. I giggled at Uncle Troy's joyfulness. "Wait, so, what's the issue?"

"Uh…." Once I finished explaining to Uncle Troy yesterday's events, there was silence. I waited for a few seconds for a response, but when none came I called out, "Uncle Troy?" Silence. "Uncle Troy," I singsong. Still silence met my ears. I checked the phone to see if we lost connection, but we hadn't so I tried again. "Uncle—"

_"Holy crap, are you kidding me right now?! My printer actually brought one of your drawings to_ life _?!"_ Uncle Troy shouted, nearly blowing out my eardrums.

_You know, with all the screaming in my ear lately, I'm afraid I might suffer permanent hearing loss,_ I thought. "Yeah, and I think yesterday's thunderstorm had something to do with it. Dad said he saw a lightning bolt strike the roof, and when it did, the lights went out. At that same moment, the printer started going haywire and next thing I know, there was Tsuna," I concluded.

"Oh, my goodness, this is… this is _amazing_! Ava, don't you realize the _gravity_ of this discovery? If all it took was lightning to bring your drawing to life…!"

"Uncle Troy—" I started in a warning tone, but Uncle Troy cut me off.

"I gotta go, Ava! This just gave me inspiration for my next invention! I'll call you later!"

"No, no, Uncle Troy don't—!" _Click!_ "—hang up," I finished lamely. "Crap," I cursed quietly.

I heard the hotel room open behind me and looked back to see Danica in her Asuna costume, her eyes wide in complete shock.

"So, Tyler is really Tsunayoshi Sawada from KHR?!" Danica whispered.

Aw, crap.


End file.
